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Our Gause Roots

Our Gause roots take us back to the early 1600's in Virginia.For the purpose of stimulating immigration and the settlement of the Colony of Virginia, the London Company ordained that any person who paid his own way to Virginia should be assigned 50 acres of land "for his owne personal adventure," and if he transported "at his owne cost" one or more persons he should, for each person whose passage he paid, be awarded 50 acres of land.This was called the headright system.This headright system was the major method of land acquisition in 17th century Virginia.Since the grant itself did not pay the entire cost, the immigrant by a previous agreement became indentured or contracted to work for the specified time for his transportation.At the expiration of his service, he was usually given such necessities such as tools, clothing, and enough grain to sustain him for a year until he could become self-reliant.Although the indentured servant did not receive land by the government at the end of his servitude, a substantial number soon became land owners.In Cavaliers and Pioneers, Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1666, a widow by the name of Alice Edloe was granted 350 acres of land in Henrico County on June 1, 1637 for transporting herself and 6 other persons, one of which was Christopher Gosse.It is believed that Christopher Gosse was the first of our line to come to America, however, this theory has not been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. It is also believed that Edmund was the son of Christopher, who must have come to Virginia at a later date.There are records that indicate that Edmund Goss was here as early as 1658, as shown by the following: "1658 - 25 Jan.Mr. Edward Lockey to New Kent Co., 1600 acres for transporting 32 persons among them Edmond Goss." (Cavaliers and Pioneers by Neil Marion Nugent, Volume I, 1623-1800, Patent Book 4, p. 385) Since the land of Edmund Goss was escheated (the reversion of lands in English feudal law to the lord of the fee when there are no heirs capable of inheriting under the original grant), it is evidence that he was not technically a citizen; very likely they were French Huguenots.Research into other families who were French Huguenots has shown that they could not inherit land - it was escheated and then, in most cases, granted to the descendants.Edmund Goss was most likely the father of Charles Goss.This is evidenced by the following record found in the Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Series 2, Volume 4, James City County, Virginia, 1634-1904, by Lindsay O. Duvall: "Charles Goss, 275 acres, James City County, lying on the North side of Moses Creek to begin at ye Lower side of Kerbies Creek, a little above the mouth thereof and runs North...to Henry Youngs corner oake & thence along his & Thomas Bobbys marked trees...thence South 39 d. Westly 163 cha: to a small Spling (sic) on Moses Creek & down ye same to Kerbies Creeks mouth & over ye same to the place it began the land formerly belonging to Eddy Goss & since was found to Escheat...Inquisition...hand and seales of Henry Hartwell Deputy Escheater of the sd. County, 7 June 1681.Granted to Charles Goss, 22 xber 1682."Not much is known at this time regarding Charles Goss, however, what we do know is that he died around 1725 in Virginia.Charles is listed in the James City County Rent Roll for 1704 holding 171 acres of land.The Rent Roll of 1704 was an official inventory of Virginia, excluding the Northern Neck, which listed the names of every proprietor with the number of acres in his possession.It was one shilling for every 50 acres, payable in tobacco at the rate of a penny per pound and was imposed upon all land when first granted.It is not known how many children Charles had, but we do know of one: William Gause.